


cut me out and color me in

by finkpishnets



Category: The OC (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:47:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28286484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finkpishnets/pseuds/finkpishnets
Summary: Ryan meets Taylor Townsend his second week in Newport.He’s not entirely sure what god he pissed off to deserve it, but someone out there definitely hates him.[Or: a Ryan/Taylor Season One AU.]
Relationships: Ryan Atwood/Taylor Townsend
Comments: 7
Kudos: 55





	cut me out and color me in

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tsttoain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsttoain/gifts).



> so tsttoain prompted me this approximately a million years ago, and recently reminded me, so i'm sorry it took so long and i hope you like it ♥︎
> 
> set at the very beginning of season one. marissa friendly because in this house we love coop. it's been a while since i last watched the show so my timelines might be a little off, oops, so please take it with a pinch of salt.

**~**

Ryan meets Taylor Townsend his second week in Newport. 

He’s not entirely sure what god he pissed off to deserve it, but someone out there definitely hates him.

“I’ve been asked to catch you up,” she says, appearing at the Cohen’s door in a hurricane of pink cotton and sensible loafers, tipping her nose up like it gives her some authority. “Make sure you know your calculus from your cartography.”

“Tell me this school doesn’t _actually_ teach maps,” Ryan says with horror, and Taylor laughs, high and chipper and unrelentingly fake.

“…No,” she says. “I’ve suggested it a few times, but apparently the faculty don’t recognize it as a necessary skill these days. Let’s just hope they don’t get lost in the middle of the rainforest on the next school trip!”

Somehow that sounds like a threat.

Ryan’s a little terrified.

“Uh huh,” he says, and wonders if it’s too late to run back to Chino.

“Great,” Taylor says, depositing the biggest folder he’s even seen into his hands. “We’ll start tomorrow! See you then!”

**~**

“Yikes,” Seth says over dinner, eyeing the study folder. It’s color coded and has custom page dividers. “Taylor Townsend, huh? She’s a nightmare.”

“Seth,” Kirsten scolds, but doesn’t correct him.

“Thanks,” Ryan says, helping himself to more potatoes. “Hey, out of interest, is it too late to transfer to public school? It’ll be cheaper.”

“Nice try,” Sandy says, and Ryan resigns himself to devoting the rest of his academic time in Newport to Taylor’s bombardment of spreadsheets.

**~**

Marissa is the dream.

She’s the sort of girl guys like Ryan want and only ever get when they’re looking for a wild night they’ll laugh about in ten years over mimosas with the other Country Club wives.

She’s also trouble.

Not, like, _trouble_ trouble. Not the sort he’s used to. But there’s the intense mom and the asshole boyfriend, the snobbish best friend who Seth will _not_ stop talking about, and the fact that she’s an A student, has a list of extracurriculars under her arm, and walks around with the careless grace of someone who’s never known what it’s like not to fit in.

Doesn’t stop Ryan wanting her, but he’s not sure it’s his smartest move.

**~**

“Well,” Taylor says, after she’s finished dousing the latest essay she’s assigned him in red pen. “Looks like English is your subject! Who’d have guessed?”

“ _Taylor_ ,” he says, because he’s become way too used to the passive aggressiveness over the past couple of weeks.

“Sorry,” she says, and he thinks she might actually mean it. “This was good, though.”

“It looks like you dip-dyed it in blood,” he points out, and she looks marginally guilty.

“There’s always room for improvement, Ryan,” she says, patting his hand. “So, how are you settling in?”

It’s the first time she’s asked him a question that doesn’t come straight out of a panel approved course textbook, and he’s a little taken aback.

If he’s honest, it’s possible he kinda thought she might be a robot.

Like, not _really_. But maybe.

“Fine,” he says eventually, and she smiles.

“Well, if you need anything…” she says, and Ryan nods and makes his getaway as fast as he can.

**~**

Luke’s a real piece of work.

Ryan has no idea what anyone sees in him, least of all Marissa, but it’s not his place to say. Not that that stops him, of course, but it’s not like he expects anyone to look at him and look at Luke and think his opinion holds any weight. 

He could do without watching Luke drape over Marissa, wearing his hangover like a coat and not caring that his girlfriend’s trying to balance too much takeout, though.

“Oh,” Taylor says, rolling her eyes as she stops beside him, carrying a bag with the comic store logo on. “Luke Ward. The perfect stereotype of the rich white boy. He’ll be CEO of a multinational by the time he’s forty and _still_ won’t know the difference between Van Gogh and Vonnegut.”

“Nepotism at work,” Ryan agrees, and Taylor laughs. “Not planning to be CEO of a multinational by the time you’re forty?”

“Oh, I’ll do it by thirty-five,” she says easily, and Ryan believes it, “and then I’ll quit to become a renowned artiste’s muse in _gay Paris_.”

Which.

Okay.

**~**

His mom reappearing is enough to leave him wrong-footed, like he’s walking a tightrope and could fall back into old habits at any moment.

And, he gets it. He knows Kirsten doesn’t want some kid with a record under her roof, worries that he’ll corrupt her son or steal the silverware of whatever, but….

He likes it here, is all.

Not all the time. He could do without the pseudo summer school programme the administration are making part of his admission, and most rich kids suck, but hanging out with Seth? Talking with Marissa? Hell, even next term’s Literature syllabus looks pretty great. 

And having a roof over his head, three square meals, and people who look at him with kind eyes?

Yeah.

Leaving will suck.

**~**

“Why haven’t you sent me your History paper?” Taylor asks when Sandy hands him the phone, looking a little overwhelmed.

Ryan gets it. Taylor has that effect on everyone.

“Sorry,” Ryan says, sitting on the stairs. “Look, I don’t know how long I’m gonna be sticking around. Didn’t seem worth it.”

There’s a long pause, and Ryan feels like maybe he shouldn’t have said anything.

“Right,” she says eventually. “Well. That’s no excuse for slacking while you _are_ here. I’m volunteering at the community center tomorrow so bring it by and I’ll read it over lunch.

It’s not a request, and Ryan laughs, feels a little hysterical with it.

“Sure,” he says. “Okay.”

“Good,” Taylor says, and then a little softer, a little more earnestly, “Look, Ryan, if you ever need to talk…”

“Thanks,” he says and hangs up before he does something stupid like agree.

**~**

The thing is, between the move and the fights and the fire, between Kirsten’s change of heart and Seth’s friendship and Sandy’s loyalty, Ryan thinks he can be forgiven for not noticing that Taylor doesn’t have many friends.

Or… _any_.

Seth’s dragged him down to the marina to look at the boats. Yachts. Whatever. Apparently Ryan’s disinterest isn’t the fun afternoon activity he had planned, though, so Ryan’s lost him to wide eyes and people who’s nautical knowledge doesn’t come entirely from pirate movies.

Taylor’s sitting on a bench a little way down the dock, daintily eating a sandwich and flicking through a book that should probably count as a dangerous instrument. As he gets closer he realizes it’s not even in English.

“Hey,” he says, and her eyes dart up in alarm before she relaxes into a smile.

“Ryan! Hi!”

Her enthusiasm would be flattering except he’s pretty sure it’s less a _him_ thing, more a _person_ thing.

For someone who talks so much, he’s starting to think there’s no one really listening.

“Hey,” he says, before he can think about it, “the Cohen’s are out tonight so Seth and I were gonna have this video game marathon. Pizza, sugar, you know. All the things that make Seth talk so fast he looks like he’s gonna pass out. Do you…maybe…wanna come?”

“Yes!” Taylor says immediately, and Ryan blinks. “I mean. Yes. Definitely. Absolutely. What time?”

“Uh, seven?” he says, and hope Seth forgives him for this.

“Great,” Taylor says, and looks the happiest Ryan thinks he’s probably ever seen her. “I’ll bring popcorn!”

**~**

If the word cotillion _alone_ hadn’t made Ryan want to run for the hills, the hall full of formalwear and the Orange County teen elite definitely does.

He’s flicking through the closest rack of tuxes when he hears two voices at once.

Marissa’s, and…

“Taylor?”

“Oh my God, Ryan,” she says, letting the two dresses in her hands fall to her sides. “What are you doing here?”

There’s not an emphasis, she’s not saying ‘What are _you_ doing here?’ like so many people in this room are clearly thinking, and he’s walking her way before he stops to think about it. Somewhere in the background he hears Summer and Luke joining Marissa and knows he’s made the right choice.

“Apparently this thing’s mandatory.”

“Ugh, _right?_ ” Taylor says. “My mom’s going full on dictator over it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m _all_ for community spirit, but the pressure is seriously unhealthy.” 

He’s about to ask about her mom when he hears Luke say, “What’s _he_ doing here?” Emphasis in place and aimed firmly in his direction.

“Luke, don’t…” Marissa says, trailing off, and honestly, Ryan’s tired.

He likes Marissa. Hell, she might just be one of the coolest people he’s ever met, but if he has to keep risking his parole because of her douchebag boyfriend then he needs to steer clear.

He’s not going to jeopardise this thing he has with the Cohen’s, not for anything.

“Wanna get out of here?” he asks Taylor, and she nods, shoving the dresses back on the rack without question.

They take Taylor’s car, and Ryan sends Kirsten an apology text, says he’ll drop back later and pick out a tux, and then lets Taylor take him to some pretentious coffee house twenty minutes away that plays French music and only sells poetry and philosophy alongside its overpriced lattes. 

There’s only, like, three other people there though so it’s a win in his book.

“Don’t let him get to you,” Taylor says when they grab a table, and Ryan shrugs. Too many things get to him, that’s the problem. Comes with the whole fight for survival gig. “So…Marissa, huh?”

Ryan freezes.

“Uh…”

“Please,” Taylor says, rolling her eyes. “I’m not _blind_. Besides, I don’t think there’s a guy at school that hasn’t had a thing for her at one time or another. And a few girls.”

Ryan raises an eyebrow.

“Oh, not me,” Taylor says easily. “I was too busy sporting the _biggest_ crush on Seth back in middle school.”

Ryan laughs and tries his coffee. He has to admit, it’s pretty good.

“So who are you going with to this cotillion thing?” he asks, changing the subject, and wishes he hadn’t when Taylor tenses up, trying to hide it with a wave of her hand and a fixed smile.

“Oh, no one,” she says, “Or. _Someone_ , I just won’t know who until my mother carts him out complete with academic records and a chart of his family’s wealth to power ratio.”

“Yikes,” Ryan says. “And I thought _I_ had mom issues.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Taylor says, and she can’t quite look him in the eye. “Nothing will be good enough for her. It never is.”

Ryan gets that. Sort of. His experiences are wildly different, but he knows what it’s like to be a disappointment at least.

“If you really want to piss her off,” he says, and sees the irony in him being the one to search out drama, “you could take me.”

Taylor freezes with her coffee halfway to her mouth, and Ryan’s not sure he’s ever seen anyone’s eyes go that puppy-dog wide before.

“…Really?” she asks, like he might be punking her, and Ryan may be trying not to get into fights right now, but there’s probably a few people in her past that deserve it.

“Sure,” he says, with a shrug. “Uh, fair warning though, I have _no_ idea what happens at these things.”

“Oh,” Taylor says with the wave of her hand, brushing it off, “just a little tradition, a little dancing…” Ryan’s face must fall because she laughs. “Nothing too strenuous, I promise.”

“So that’s a yes?” he asks, and watches a complicated series of emotions play out across her face.

“Yes,” she says, quickly. “Absolutely! One hundred percent with sprinkles on top!”

**~**

Seth’s been paired up with some new girl who is apparently the definition of cool, and Ryan’s just glad he’s not having to listen to Rant of Despair Number Two Hundred and Fifty about Summer Roberts. He’d skipped the dance class in favor of letting Taylor walk him through the steps whilst quizzing him on Art History, which still seems like a win even if he does now know a truly ridiculous amount about Panofsky and iconography.

“Apparently the cool kids are having a party at Holly’s tonight,” Seth says, looking only a little dejected. “Anna and I were gonna ditch it and go for milkshakes if you wanna join.”

“Sure,” Ryan says. “I’ll call Taylor.”

It’s a fun night, splitting sundaes and getting to know Anna who’s way too good for this place. Taylor keeps shooting Ryan soft smiles, and it makes the back of his neck warm. When she and Seth get into a debate about anime, Anna injecting the odd comment, he lets himself sit back and take it all in.

When he’d moved to Newport he’d been sure it was going to be a fight every step of the way.

Instead, it’s ten o’clock on a Friday night and he’s getting to be a kid.

He doesn’t want to get his hopes up, but life seems to be looking pretty good.

**~**

(When he and Seth get home, Luke and Marissa are arguing in the Coopers driveway.

There’s a huge part of Ryan that wants to storm over, intervene, and inevitably get a black eye for it.

Marissa won’t be grateful, though, not when she can fight her own battles, and besides, Ryan doesn’t want to embarrass Taylor by looking like the degenerate he is when they take the stage tomorrow.)

**~**

The night of the cotillion, Ryan’s fighting with his bow tie and wondering if it’s too late to persuade the others to ditch in favor of a movie marathon or something.

Probably.

“Ryan,” Kirsten says, popping her head around the door. “Oh. You look wonderful. Here…”

She fixes his tie for him, and Ryan won’t pretend the faintly proud expression on her face doesn’t get to him. 

“You have a visitor,” she says when she’s done, and Ryan follows her into the foyer to find Marissa, wearing jeans and looking as perfect as she did the first time he saw her, standing at the end of her drive.

“Hi,” he says.

“Hey,” she says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Wow. You clean up well.”

“Thanks,” he says with a shrug.

“I wasn’t sure you were going,” she says. “My date fell through so I thought…Never mind.”

Three weeks ago, Ryan would have offered to take her. Would have suggested they do something else instead, something fun and silly and outside of her not-so-perfect debutante bubble. 

“Sorry,” he says instead.

“Um,” Taylor says, and Ryan and Marissa both turn to where she’s hesitating in the entryway.

She looks…

_God._

The thing is, Ryan’s not an idiot. He knows Taylor’s beautiful. You can barely bump into anyone in Newport who _isn’t_.

But…wow.

Yeah.

Okay.

 _Okay_.

“Taylor,” he says, and it sounds way too revealing to his own ears. Taylor flushes, though, looking down at her feet beneath the simple white gown. 

“I’ll leave you guys to it,” Marissa says, and when Ryan pulls his eyes away from Taylor there’s a smile pulling at her lips, something real and maybe a little bittersweet. Ryan really thinks they’re going to be great friends one day. “Have a fun night.”

“You’re not coming?” Taylor says, and she sounds genuinely upset at the idea. Ryan’s not sure they’ve ever exchanged more than a handful of words, but that sums Taylor up, really.

“Luke and I got into a fight…” Marissa says, wrapping her arms around herself, and Taylor rolls her eyes.

“Come anyway,” she says.

Ryan’s pretty sure no one’s ever said no to Taylor when she’s sporting that face, and Marissa’s no exception.

**~**

Marissa leaves them at the entrance to go get changed, setting her shoulders before she has to battle her mom, and Taylor squeezes Ryan’s arm.

“Thanks,” he says, and she frowns.

“What for?”

“For being you, I guess,” he says. He doesn’t know how else to explain it. He thinks it might be the wrong thing to say, though, when she ducks her head and steps away with a deep sigh. “Sorry,” he says. “Did I…?”

“No,” she says quickly. “That was sweet. Possibly too sweet. I have a white knight complex, so, you know. There’s a very good chance I’m going to fall desperately in love with you if you keep that up.”

Ryan doesn’t think she’s joking.

“Uh…”

“Let’s go,” she says, tugging him into the hall, and he follows, trying not to have a _total_ meltdown.

He’s mostly successful, but he figures there’s still plenty of time for that to change.

**~**

The cotillion itself is fine.

Ryan remembers to bow, and doesn’t trip over his own feet during the choreography.

Seth and Anna seem to be having a ball, and even Marissa looks like she’s having fun, spinning Summer around the dance floor.

Of course, then Jimmy Cooper is accused of being a thief and everything goes to shit.

**~**

“Get out of here,” Sandy says, holding a bag of ice to his cheek whilst Kirsten frets.

Ryan doesn’t need to be told twice.

He finds Seth and Anna in the hall with Marissa and Summer.

“Where’s Taylor?” he asks.

“Here,” she says, appearing from the coatroom. “Let’s go.”

They take two cars and still end up at the Cohen’s. It’s quite the picture, the girls all sprawled across the couches in their white gowns, whilst Seth pours drinks and looks like he’s having a minor breakdown over Summer and Anna being in the same room.

Eventually Kirsten and Sandy come home, and Kirsten sets up the guest room for Marissa, blinking when Summer announces she’s staying too, and Ryan leaves Seth freaking out in the bathroom and drives Anna and Taylor home.

“Poor Marissa,” Taylor says, when they’re sat in her drive. Anna’s house was technically closer, but Ryan hadn’t even considered dropping Taylor off first.

“Yeah,” he says, because it’s a shitty situation. The looks Kirsten and Sandy were shooting each other all evening suggest there’s more to it than they know, yet, and Ryan’s not looking forward to watching the real fallout. 

“She’ll need her friends,” Taylor says, like she’s adding it to her checklist. Ryan knows how seriously she takes those checklists and wonders if he should give Marissa a head’s up.

“Hey,” he says, turning up the heating when she shivers a little and regretting leaving his jacket at home. She’s about to go in, but there’s something about the idea of her wearing it that…

Well.

“Thanks. For tonight.”

“Oh,” Taylor says, reaching for her shoes where’s she’s kicked them under the dashboard. “Thank _you_. It was wonderful. Well, I mean, not the _end_ , obviously. But, before that.”

She takes a deep breath.

“School starts soon,” she says, and yeah, Ryan’s fully aware. He reckons he could probably sit every exam now with the amount of information she’s drilled into him over the summer. “I just— You’ve been so _nice_ , and I’ve loved hanging out with you and Seth, and I think Marissa and Summer are warming to me, and Anna’s lovely, and it’s been…”

“Taylor…?” he asks, because he’s not totally sure what she’s getting at.

“Are you still going to talk to me?” she asks, and Ryan blinks, taken aback. “I’d just rather know now, if this was just a summer thing. I totally understand if it was, I know you didn’t _want_ a tutor, but I’d rather _know_ before I embarrass myself.”

And, _God_.

Ryan really wants to fight a lot of people in this stupid place.

“Taylor,” he says, and waits until she finally looks at him. “I’m still going to talk to you. I totally get if you don’t want to talk to me, though. I _am_ the shiny new criminal, after all.”

She looks momentarily horrified before she realizes he’s joking.

“ _Ryan_ ,” she says, hitting his arm. “Okay, I’m going inside now before my mother notices I’m home.”

She slips her shoes back on and gets out the car, and then ducks back in, kneeling on the passenger seat and leaning over the console and pressing a kiss to Ryan’s cheek.

Except Ryan had been turning to say goodbye and her lips press against the corner of his mouth instead.

There’s a moment where Ryan’s mind whites out before he tilts his chin and then they’re kissing for real, and it’s…

Ryan’s kissed a lot of girls. Not as many as people probably think, but his fair share.

This kiss isn’t like any of those.

Taylor’s lips are soft and her lipgloss tastes faintly of chemicals and peaches, and he can smell her perfume, something expensive and floral. He can also feel the slight shake of her fingers where she’s holding his shoulder for balance, and he knows his own hands aren’t entirely steady.

When they pull apart her eyes stay closed, and Ryan takes in the flush on her cheeks and wonders at what his life’s become.

“Night,” he says softly, and Taylor nods, eyes still shut, and finally gets out of the car, walking back to the house in a daze.

Ryan stays where he is until his brain unfogs enough that it’s safe for him to drive.

**~**

“I kissed Taylor,” Ryan says, late that night, and Seth hums.

“Okay,” he says, like it’s not a big deal. 

Maybe it’s not.

Ryan isn’t used to his choices being the easy, normal ones.

“Okay,” he says, and thinks that, yeah, it kinda is.

**~**

“First day,” Seth says, patting Ryan’s shoulder.

They’d given Marissa a ride, and now Summer’s calling her from across the parking lot, the four of them walking up the path.

He’s getting a few glances, but not as many as he’d expected. Those’ll probably come later.

“You’ll be fine,” Marissa says, and Summer hums.

“Oh _yeah_ ,” she says suggestively, and Marissa laughs as Summer tugs her away. “I wanna grab a latte before class. Laters!”

“Oh hey, there’s Anna,” Seth says, wandering away, and then it’s just Ryan facing down his future.

…Okay, he may be letting the Newport melodrama rub off on him just a little bit.

“Hi,” Taylor says from the top of the stairs. She’s dressed in that same pink cotton, and her sensible, expensive loafers, and Ryan smiles, taking the steps two at a time.

“Hey,” he says, and reaches for her books. “So, you know if I fail horribly, it’s your reputation at risk, right?”

She snorts. “ _Please_ ,” she says. “I’ve taught you enough to get you into _college_ ; you can ace _high school_.”

“Well,” he says, and presses a kiss against the tip of her nose.

She tangles their fingers together.

“We’ve got this,” she says.

And, yeah.

Ryan’s pretty sure they do.

**Author's Note:**

> come hang out with me on [tumblr.](https://madroxed.tumblr.com/)


End file.
